Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:34
I just took a look, and this is a fantastic unit !!! I have just bought a similar truck, and will get photos on the
BOG, mine is an RFW Alpine Search and Rescue Vehicle, full time four wheel drive on half metre wide super singles...
Look, this is a fantastic motorhome concept... The problem is not the $400,000 plus that it would take to build that unit.... Probably more... The problem is in that being so high and so big, it will not get to a lot of places they want to go, and a bigger problem yet is in having to pack up the entire camp just to go down for a quart of milk.... Entire inside outside everything to go anywhere.... I have done it and it just does not work well. Mine is shorter and stubbier, but will still tow my
Bushtracker...
I have traveled with this style of rig, in my Mack 4x4 and now own a bigger 4x4 as I have said... It is a pain not to be able to go exploring or take day trips. Money no object (and this one would cost maybe leaning on a half a million, maybe double for someone else to build it from new) it is still a pain to not be able to go where you want on day trips without packing the whole kit and kaboodle...
Why have I bought mine? Well mine is shorter, taller, and Bigger...BIG IDEAS !!!! Well, thinking about an Expedition Vehicle, but still towing my van.. Only this rig I bought, would be the Head Mother Goose for maybe 6 to 8
Bushtracker Owners on a tag along to the most remote of places in ALL of Australia. The "Rig Junkie" Truck I bought has a Caterpillar V-8 Turbo Diesel and Allison Auto (Huge) Eaton Diff Locks, and can tow 20 Tonne. I could tow a string of BTs through any bad spots. And it carries 3500 litres or so of diesel and water... It looks like a Mine Monster, but I have always admired this style of Super Rig for crossing Africa and bought this as salvage for very cheap... No one wanted it, except of course the lone Ranger... Wait till you see the piccies, you will say I am crazy... Well maybe... But for some with big ambitions of exploration to make History???? Maybe not..?????
The idea of all 57 Wells of the Canning Stock Route, with say 6 to 10 extremely well equipped Bushtrackers along, if there are that many as Intrepid Adventurers as myself, with this "Mother Ship" Monster truck along to bail everyone out and carry fuel and water for the group, interests me from the point of 'Making History" on the last Frontier. Maybe an overland crossing of the Gibson Desert, or Search for Lassiters Lost Mine, the Canning, some places like that in the cooler season, with the Mother Ship along to take care of everyone. Bristling with radios and gear and Med Kits of course, the Mother Ship would be the security and the ability. With only 23,000 kms on it, it is not like to wear out.. Ha!
It is shorter and stubbier than the one shown, with higher ground clearance and bigger Michelin tyres, 445- 22.5 Super Singles in Mud Terrain. But with Diff Locks, Power Dividers, and Transfer Case Lock up, it would be nearly unstoppable.... So tell me, I am nuts right??? Well, if the Boggers don't go for it, I am going to talk with National Geographic on a similar scale...
The lone Ranger is headed waaaaaaaay out beyond the Black Stump... Nutz...! Probably.... But going anyway....
AnswerID:
571191
Follow Up By: Turist - Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:42
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:42
Hey Steve, that trucks got an Allison transmission.
Thats 'cause they are better than Frodboxes.
Allison is a GM product.
You know the mob, they make Chevy's.
Chevyy's use Allison.
Your gettin' close to the good stuff now. Carefull!
Ha!
Regards
Bob
FollowupID:
847579
Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:50
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:50
Yea, and it is one of the good ones too, before GM got their hands on Allison... It is from the Custom Truck Builders of 1987, when the truck version of Allisons made their name... The same goes for the 1975 Mitsubishi Loader Backhoe I have that built the property for the riding programs.... Pre GM Allison....
Not when later the namby pamby Chevy Game Boy Box builders sissyfied it all... Ha! Ha! Now in the U.S. the only people that buy Chevys live in the inner Suburbs and wear bow ties... Ha!
Fords are still the Kings running five to one for all brands in Search and Rescue, Paramedics, Fire, Game Wardens, Forestry, Oil Field Service, everything that takes a real truck... Ha Ha... So much for your bagging of Fords ALL the time... When you do I will be forced to remind the good people what truck is always prefered for the rough conditions...
Chevrolets have more drivers wearing skirts than any other truck, as they are comfortable inner city trucks.... Just da way it izzzz Ranger
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847580
Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:54
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:54
And by the way, kidding aside, get the tie rod end sleeves for you Chevy front end... All Forums are unnanimously pushing that you reinforce the tie rod ends if you are going to venture much off road... Seriously... Kit is not very exxy, they bend tie rod ends on the independent front end... No really.... I am trying to help you... It would be a shame to be way out, and have to wait a week or two to import the parts when the sleeves will fix it, that and on other bit on the front end I can't remember.... Anyway, look into it... And yea yea, I know, you wear a kilt now and then... Ha!
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847581
Follow Up By: Turist - Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:58
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 21:58
You better sell it now Steve, that transmission must be so old it's a wonder it still works.
You would get a very good price from an automotive museum.
Why.
"Yea, and it is one of the good ones too, before GM got their hands on Allison"
From Allison.
"Founded in 1915 and a part of General Motors since 1929, Allison's years of experience in the transmission industry makes us the partner you can always rely on, just as you can rely on our products to provide years of service."
Gotcha!
Bob
PS, looks like the hooks still sharp.
FollowupID:
847582
Follow Up By: Bushtracker Buck & Babe - Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 22:00
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 22:00
Steve, you're nuts!!! LOL.
Angie
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847583
Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 22:43
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 at 22:43
Yea I know Angie, you can never get the last word on Bob.. Ha!
Or, if you mean the Troop of Bushtrackers overland across the Gibson or Canning or Lassiters Lost Reef???? I might be nuts, but what an adventure it would be!!!!
I guess I can count you out on the sign up for that huh...? Don't know if I would do it, but thinking about it made me buy this "Super Max" as the Mother Ship Escort Vessel with huge tankage as a Tender for the Mob... The crossing the blank places on the maps somehow appeals to me... Probably since studying in Anthropology in Uni, on the last isolated Tribe of Aboriginals found I think from memory in the Gibson around 1966..... And somewhere out there, is a whole fleet of vehicles from WWII stored under rotting canvas under the ledge of a reef of rock... You know the romance of discovery, crystal lined caves, diamonds in the creek bed, Amelia Earharts plane sitting there sticking out of a sand dune... Ha!
Anyway, I got the truck for it... Will put piccies on next week when Matthew is back as I don't know how to do it... It makes my Mack look like town taxi.. Ha!
i suupppose it takes a crazzzzy person to do what i have done the past half century...YEA!
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